Improved refrigerator



.PATENT Frama.

HENRY A. ROBERTS, OF BSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED REFRIGERATOR.

Speeii cation forming part of Letters Patent No. 77.098, dated pri121,1868.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. ROBERTS, of Boston, county of Suolk, andState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in the Manufacture of Refri gerators; and to enable othersskilled in the art to make and use tbe same, I will proceed to describeit by referring to the drawings, in which the same letters indicate likeparts in each of the gures.

The nature of this invention consists in constructing a refrigerator andprovision-safe of two ormore sections or chambers fitting vertically oneupon the other in such a manner that the sections can be easily andreadily adjusted so as to increase or diminish its interior size orcapacity, the said construction having upper and lower rims and innerand outer walls made of metal or other suitable material, either bolted,hermetically sealed, or soldered together so as to form an air-tightvacuum, each section being removable and adj ustable; so, if there isnot a suflicient quantity of articles to be refrigerated to occupy thefull capacity of any one section or chamber, that section can bedivided, eut oll, or re inovedand reinstated at pleasure by firstlifting or removing the cooling-chamber, then removing the division orunneeded section, and'reinstating the cooling-chamber upon the remainingsection or chambers that contain the materials for refrigeration. Bythis arrangement I reduce or diminish the capacity lof the cham berwholly in accordance with the quantity of materials to be refrigerated.lThus it will be seen that I reduce materially the consumption of ice, asI diminish the capacity of the refrigerating'-chamber and obtain aresult of economy which has never before been accomplished. y

" The nature of this invention further consists of the formation of a,-frannl` or a series of frames conforming to the shape of the inte--rior construction vof the refrigerator, so as to occupy all, or nearlyall, ofthe interior eircom-pv ference .of the refrigerator. Said frameor ,yframes have au outer rim, with intersecting rims extending from oneside to the other, thus forming between the rims open spaces, and intoeach space thus formed is placed a rcceptacle or receptacles soconstructed as to occupy and utilize each and every space. lt Will bescenthat by this arrangement I do away with the ordinaryrefrigerator-shelves, and in their stead l adopt the receptacles asdescribed for holding and containingthe arti cles intended forrefrigeration, and said receptacles, by their formation, do utilize-theroom within the refrigerator, thus doing away with placing differentdomestic articles or utensilssuch as an earthen pitcher, or -a plate, orpail, or can, Stefor holding food within the refrigerator, whichmouopolizes the-room to disadvantage. By utilizing the room of arefrigerating-chamber, as by my invention, I am enabled to produce astructure of increased capacity and utility, and with great economy inthe use of ice, and occupying but halt' of the space of the ordinaryrefrigerator.

The nature of this invention further consists in constructing anice-receptacle which of itself is perfectly air-tight, movable andadjustable at'pleasurc, consisting of vertical flue'or a series ofvertical ilues provided with open apertures at the top and bottomrelatively to an intersecting horizontal llue havingdischarging-orifices for both circulating currents of air andthe'products otatn'iosphcric condensation. When the same is arrangedwith a frigoritic chamber,producing results of refrigeration by meansvof internal continuons circulation of currents ot' air, the outer wallsof which are perforatd and covered with iibrous or evaporatingsubstance, through which a tine or series ot' lilies are arranged in anydesirable position, either vertical or horizontal, and provided forcirculation and condensation of air, partially to protect the walls fromcontact with the ice. rIuese lines are luovided'with radial conductorsto increase the cooling and condensing surface therein.VA At .the outeredge, and joining the bottom of this ice-receptacle, is provideda'luidcup,for the purpose ot' supplyin the evaporating or fibroussurface with iluid,which renders it air-tight and presents a surface forevaporation. Near the top edge oi' this cup is provided a discharge-tubefor the escape ofsurplus iluid. vA good resultof refrigeration can heproduced by construetin g this ice-box [mrl'ectly air-tight, with orwithout the use ofthe ovaporating material 0r surface, by simply havingone dischargcoriiicc from said 4box into the cup p; but it is believedthat far greater and more successful results vwill be obtained by theuse of perforated sides with fibrous material covering.

The nature of this invention further consists in the mode ofmanufacture,whereby I am en- 'abled to construct a refrigerator with itsreceptacles of anydesirable form or'shape ad apted for the trade or use.i

i ists.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is y a vertical section elevationof this refrigerator. Fig. 2 is a view of the receptacles andthe framesin which they are arranged or held while in` use, so as to completelyutilize the room in a refrigerator'l A B C are three sections whichcompose the y body of this refrigerator, showing at a glance that it maybe made and used in one, two, or more parts, as desirable. g

a a are the outer and inner walls, made of sheet metal or other suitablematerial.

c are the ring-anges by which the outer and inner walls are closedair-tight by means of bolts, soldering, or otherwise hermetically sealedto render the space air-tight.

c3 is the bottom, constructed with two thicknesses, impervious to air.

a4 are doors fitted closely to their respective openings, constructedhollow, of sheet metal or other suitable material, and hung in the usualway. t `a5 is a cover, also constructed hollow, of metal or othersuitable material, and so that it will fit the upper end of either ofthe sections; Through the center of this cover is provided a ventoriticeor tube, c. The only object of this vent-tube is to ventilate the box orreceptacle when the freezing material is exhausted. Upon the inner wallof the sections are arranged rollers or brackets d, upon whichthe framesd ae supported and rotate, as desirable, either to fthe right or left,in order to bring any one of the receptacles placed therein directlybefore the door-openings. 4These receptacles e are made of porcelain,earthen, or metal material, and of the properv shape to utilize theroom, as shown in Fig. 2. They (the sides or bottom) are made whole orperforated, as desirable, for the various articles which it may bedesirable to place in them.

D is an ice-receptacle arranged in the upper portion of a refrigerator,composed wholly of metal or-other suitable material, the body h of whichis perforated and united to a tight bottom, 2', slightly conical inshape.

7tr. are lines which pass through .tli'e bottom t' and the rim i' at thetop of the box or receptacle, inside of which flues are arranged radialpartitions, il to increase the cooling and condensing surface. m is acover which closes the top or opening of the ice-box, thereby renderingit air-tight. The outside or perforated body of |`this receptacle iscovered with a fibrous material, n, or

other evaporating material, for the purpose of cooling, desiccatin g,ordryin g the air by internal continuous circulation without coming incontact with the ice. The product of condensation passes down into thechamber or dow lo', thence through the discharge-tube o.

p is a fluid-cup, which receives the drip from the lower edge of theevaporating-surface and discharges the surplus iiuid through a tube, o',near theY upper edge of the cup, into the discharge tube o arrangedbetween the walls of the refrigerator. This ice-box is supported in itsproper place and position by means ot' proper brackets or projectingarms g.

For producing circulating currents of cool dry air in this lrefrigeratorby means of ventilation, the introduction of the air directly upon theice is entirely unnecessary. Both produce extravagant use of ice forproducing the results of refrigeration and desiccation. In thisrefrigerator is produced moving currents of cool dry air by effectivemeans--ic., by a resultof evaporation of duid or iiuids separately or incombination with ice. This cooling-receptacle is so constructed that itoccupies the upper section of the refrigerator. In fact, it is mademovable and adjustable, and is constructedwith -a cylindrical iiue or aseries of cylindrical dues extending vertically from the top of thecooling-chamber, intersecting into a horizontal-flue covering orextending across thebottom of thecoolng-chamber, with an exitopening inthe center for the discharge of the coolingor Icirculatin g currents ofair into the refri geratin g chambers below. Within the vertical iiuesare placed radial conductors that materially increase and extend thecooling and condensing surface of the receptacle.

The operation of this refrigerator is substantially as follows: Whenwater or other evaporating iiuid placed within the frigoritlc chamberfinds its way into the evaporating-cup p the evaporating materialinstantly absorbs the duid and extends. itself to the top of theabsorbing material, The warm air at the top of this receptacle finds itsway downward through the lues, in consequence of there being adifference in the temperature of the air surround- 'ing the evaporatingmaterial and the dues which are surrounded by the evaporating orabsorbing material, which must be cooler within the receptacle than uponits exterior. 0011-' sequentlya current of air is produced, passingthrough exit of the horizontal iue and falling directly through thecenter of the refrigeratorsectionsbelow, Asadcnserair, falling throughan orifice, creates a displacement of air that, may be before it,causing the same to arise, and in its gradual expansion passin gin itsupward circulation in close proximity` with the absorbing andevaporating surface, itimbibes therefrom moisture in quantity wholly inaccordance to its expansion and affinity therefor;

and in its further circulation downward through the iiues again themoisture that is absorbed is wholly condensed within the fines and upon`the radial conductors, and the atmosphere is t'reed, as-it were', of themoisture it has `mbibed fromjlthe. e'vaporating-srrrface.l By thi meansvthe l'effectual separation, by condens': tion, of moisture from the'airtakes place, andlthe air @becomes dr'y, and, in its circulation againdownwardthroughthe center of the refrigerator-chambers, again coming incontact with the provisions and fruits, it absorbs therefrom lnoisturein its upward circulation. It follows .fclose by the inner circumferenceform of the `refrigerator in its ascent, andthe air is con- ;.tinnallyexpanding and still increasing its ca- ',pacity for moisture until itagain reaches the evaporating or absorbing surface, and taking.therefrom ,by absorptiomthemoisture and causlling within the'receptaclea cooling effect. Thus vj-by this means I fully establish a result ofin- -ternal continuous circulation of cool dry air.

..MWhen ice is introduced int -the cooling-receptaclea'great andimportant result is produced in economy in the use thereof', for, in

combination with the evaporating-surface, it

produces an effective cold, and a thorough ventilation of the ice issecured, removing the va- 'pors necessarily generated by the ice beingecnned in an air-tight chamber by means of 'Jhe exterior absorption.

-I believe I have thus shown the nature, construction, and operation ofthis invention so as to enable others skilled in the art to make and usethe same therefrom.

What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A refrigerator constructed of metal or other suitable material of twoor more sections, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. Dimiuishing the interior capacity of a refrigerator-chamber b vdividing, cutting of, or removing a portion thereof, for the purpose ofeconornizing in the use of the cooling agent, substantially asdescribed.

3. The movable and adjustable frame d', conforming to the interior shapeof the refrigerator, with the receptacles c so formed that they fullyutilize the interior capacity thereof, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

4. An icebox having a close bottom, perforated sides covered withabsorbing'brous material, whereby the box is rendered air-tight,substantially as described.

5. An ice-box, as above described, provided with a ue or series of dues,with or without ,r

vperforated sides or` evaporating-surface, substantially as described.

HENRY A; ROBERTS. [Les] Witnesses: /A l JOHN H. AILMAN, J. W. APPLETON.

